Asset Planner

This role is a key part of South East Water's ambitious future, as we embark on our significant AMP8 investment programme (2025-2030). This period will see a substantial increase in expenditure, around £1.8 billion, aimed at enhancing our infrastructure and services. You will work across all parts of the business to identify gaps in the performance of a wide range of assets, including our water treatment works, extensive network of water mains (over 14,500 kilometres), pumping stations, reservoirs, and underground aquifers. Your role involves using Asset Management processes and systems to define necessary interventions on this critical infrastructure. Apply a risk-based approach to prioritise investments, developing long-term, costed programmes of work. These programmes aim to deliver specific, measurable outcomes, focusing on improving water quality, increasing resilience to challenges like extreme weather, reducing leakage, and supporting population growth.

Main Responsibilities

• You will work within a team of planners, working to business objectives to manage asset risks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering the needs of the business.
• You will work with business data/reporting owners to ensure that emerging risks which could impact Company targets are identified and appropriately managed in the TOTEX environment.
• You will support the production of a suite of Asset Management plans, identifying in AMP and the long-term investment needs at Resource Zone level for both whole life management of the existing asset base and also additional enhancements required to fulfil needs identified in wider strategic plans.
• You will identify where gaps occur between requirements of Asset Management Strategy and current asset performance and existing investment plans, and raise these as investment needs.
• You will work with the senior planners to develop appropriately costed programmes of work to address these needs and develop these into project briefs for delivery by others.
• You will work closely with Operations, and other functional areas in defining critical operational interventions and maintenance requirements to maximise asset performance and asset life, whilst enabling operational efficiency.
• You will contribute in the wholesale plan development and production of the 5-year Business Plans, following regulatory guidelines, lessons learnt from previous submissions and direction from business-wide strategic plans such as WRMP, 25YEP and climate change projections.
• You will support exploration of alternative technologies and innovation for schemes ensuring risks are balanced on whole life cost, carbon and other six capitals benefits.

Required Qualifications

• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Skills in data analysis.
• Problem‑solving/Options appraisal skills.
• Teamwork and stakeholder management.
• Some understanding of key regulatory and legislation applicable to water industry assets, including an understanding of performance commitments.
• Experience in asset management, operations or engineering required.

Bonus Skills

• An IAM Certificate.
• A relevant Degree.
• Professional or graduate membership (IAM, ICE, CIWEM, APM, IET, IMECHE, IOW).
• The ability to present complex information with clarity to the senior management team.
• Project Management skills.
• Experience as an asset management practitioner.
• 2 years previous asset management experience, preferably in the water sector.
• Long term asset planning experience.
• Knowledgeable/experienced in water distribution networks or production assets and processes.
• An understanding of regulatory frameworks and cycles (price reviews).

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

Equal Opportunities

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

Compensation Package

£32,000 - £45,000 depending on experience.